


Bitter and the Sweetness

by Bluepilot



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Female Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, Keith (Voltron) is Bad at Feelings, Lance (Voltron) is a Mess, M/M, Mutual Pining, This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things, background shallura - Freeform, denial all around, hunk is the mom friend, pidge is #donewithyourshit, slight langst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-13
Updated: 2017-12-13
Packaged: 2019-02-14 04:48:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,237
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13000194
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bluepilot/pseuds/Bluepilot
Summary: Lance smiled, and...okay, no matter what Pidge says, he’s not an idiot, and he can admit that Keith is unbelievably beautiful in every way, but seeing him asleep and vulnerable, with that soft expression on his face and his bangs falling all over his eyes and...Lance flushed ‘I am so gone aren’t I?’ he thought to himself.or, Keith gets accidentally turned lovey-dovey and Lance is a hot mess.





	Bitter and the Sweetness

**Author's Note:**

> title taken from Bitter and the Sweetness by The Ready Set (total Klance song)  
> also this is my first fic so expect it to be horrible.

Looking down at the planet through the castle's windows, Lance’s first thought was that it was too nice. Living in space, fighting fluffy purple aliens in a cliche anime mecha, you get used to horrible planets that want to kill you, but the planet they were scheduled to land on next seemed perfect. When Allura had briefed the team earlier she seemed very hopeful about their chances of gaining an ally, “Kylamore is a very peaceful planet. The only reason the Galra haven’t bothered to fully invade is a lack of useful resources, and the locals value harmony so much they haven’t tried to revolt.”  
“Couldn’t the locals be used for like, slave labor or something? Y’know, manual work?”  
Pidge interjected.  
“No, Kylamoreians are incredibly delicate to their surroundings, and can’t survive too far from their home planet, however, with a little luck we should be able to convince them to join the coalition and fight beside Voltron!” Allura responded cheerfully.  
It seemed a little straightforward but hey, if the Princess and Shiro wanted to give them an easy mission who was he to complain? 

Flying the lions down into the atmosphere provided a good look at the planet, which seemed oddly similar to a rainforest, completely covered in either rivers or masses of trees and fluorescent flowers, with small cities spread across the surface. The minute Blue’s paws hit the ground, the locals swarmed the paladins , chattering excitingly, offering food and drinks, and asking rapid fire questions “Hey Hunk, check this out!” Lance exclaimed , gesturing towards the edge of the forest where several bugs with iridescent wings and shells were hovering, “Hold on Lance, Pidge found some cool tech we could use for the ship, maybe improve the particle barrier...” Lance shrugged “I’m no help to you there buddy” he chuckled, Lance glanced over to where Shiro and Allura had zeroed in on the planets Queen and had begun attempting negotiations, with Keith awkwardly standing behind them, glaring at anyone who attempted conversation. “ and I’m definitely no help there” he mumbled to himself while walking towards the forest. Lush foliage and buzzing insects covered seemingly every inch of Kylamore, so it was no surprise that when went to explore, Lance found an isolated clearing occupied by a small stream and a canopy of rose like flowers with delicate thorned stems. Lance leaned back onto a tree trunk, intent on savoring the temporary peace. 

Yeah, that calm, relaxed feeling? It seems like it only lasts fifteen minutes, until Keith bursts into the clearing like the devil himself is after him, looking around wildly until his eyes land on Lance  
“What the hell were you thinking Lance!?” Keith yells, brushing his bangs away from his eyes, breathing heavily from his incredibly over-dramatic entrance, “Goddamnit we were worried! You can’t just wander off like that!”  
“And why shouldn’t I?!”Lance huffed, annoyed “it’s not like I was busy!” he retorted.  
“Just…” Keith crossed his arms, shifting awkwardly, scowling at him “don’t make m-er the team worry like that. You just...disappeared on us.” Keith said, looking down at his boots. Seeing Keith so upset really sapped all his annoyance “Fine. Sorry Keith, won’t happen again.” Lance relented, finally taking in his furrowed eyebrows, slightly pouty lip, and defensive posture. “Just couldn’t resist exploring, I mean this place is amazing!” he gestured wildly. “I guess.” Keith said, scanning the clearing. “You guess!?” Lance protested. “Out of the last five planets we’ve been on, this is the only one that hasn’t tried to kill us!” “Yet.” Keith added. Lance shot him a glare but chose to ignore the comment,  
“Besides, all these flowers remind me of home” he said, looking wistfully at the roses. Keiths expression softened. “They are pretty nice.” He said reaching out to gently touch one. 

The minute his hand brushed against the flower the stem wrapped itself around his wrist, the thorns drawing blood through the fabric. Keiths eyes widened in fear, and he collapsed right into Lance’s arms. “Fuck! Keith are you okay!? Fuck wake up! You can’t die on me, especially not because of a stupid flower!” Keith mumbled something intelligible, looking disoriented and in pain. “Right, right, fuck-ah team, it’s Lance, Keith got pricked by some freaky alien flower, get a healing pod ready!” Lance shouted into his helmet comm. Pidge’s voice crackled over the comms “We can’t send a ship or a lion, the forest is too dense.” “I can walk.” Keith tried to interject weakly in a hoarse whisper. “As if.” Lance sighed.  
“hold on.” 

Scooping Keith up in his arms is...surprisingly easy. He’s strangely light, and the toxins gotten so far in his system that he can’t even complain, only make a sound that seems like a cross between a whimper and a moan, and before long they’re heading back towards the castle, and Lance is trying to keep negative thoughts at bay,keeping his mind focused on the fastest way back to the castle . Looking down at Keith's half conscious face, he felt his heart pang, hoping this would end up fine, that Keith would wake up as snarky and arrogant as always. 

Whatever venom was in that flower, it stung like hell. Keith stared helplessly up at Lance, trying to ignore the pounding headache and his own red cheeks. Wow. Has Lance always looked this pretty? Maybe it’s just the setting sun shining through the trees behind him, casting a golden halo around him, illuminating the gentle dusting of freckles sprayed across his cheeks, drawing attention to his hypnotizingly bright blue eyes. It feels...good being in his arms, safe. Keith wrapped his arms around Lances neck and nuzzled into his chest “Lance” he murmured “I’m fine.” Lance scoffed, keeping his eyes focused on the forest in front of them.  
“We can put that on your headstone. He said he was fine. He was wrong.” 

Keith frowned. “Will you stop worrying? You look much prettier when you’re not worried.” That caught his attention, Lance gaped at him, looking shellshocked, a blush rising to his face. Lance reached up to his helmet comm, “Guys? I think Keith is dying.” Keith pouted, “I’m fine, my head doesn’t even hurt anymore!” he protested. That was a blatant lie. Keiths head felt stuffed with cotton, but when he looked at Lance, everything felt...better? Keith looked down and flushed red, fiddling with the edge of his paladin armor, trying not to think about his pounding heartbeat.  
“You...um..you should rest” he stammered out “You look exhausted.” “I feel exhausted” Lance replied, “but we’re almost to the castle, only a half mile or so, and I’m not stopping until you are safe and resting in a healing pod, and all this weirdness is behind us.” Keith frowned and opened his mouth to protest  
“...And don’t even think about trying to convince me.” Lance continued,  
“Because I am not going to be the one responsible for our expert swordsman dying and leaving us without a red paladin. Nope! Who would I make fun of then?” he rambled, scanning the distant horizon. Keith reached up and tapped Lance’s cheek, “hey” he murmured softly, “don't blame yourself. I'm a reckless idiot who should've known better than to touch weird alien plants.” Lance smirked “what's that? The great Keith Kogane, admitting his faults?” his smirk shifted into a fond look  
“Pidge is never gonna believe it.”


End file.
